Type-casting matrix



Aug. 13, 1940. BRANDENBURG 2,211,092

TYPE-CASTING MATRIX Filed July 7, 1939 l/vmvrom ATTMIVEYS Patented Aug. 13, 1940 PATENT" 'orrlcsiff TYPE-CASTING MATRIX "Hermann" Brandenburg, Berlin-Tempelhof, Germany, assignor to Mergenthaleri Linotype Company, Brooklyn N Y.,

a company of New York Application July '7, 1939, Serial No. 283,276 r In Germany July 9, 1938 6 Claims.

This invention relates to type-casting matrices, such as those used in typographical-slug casting machines known, for example, under the registered trade-mark Linotype, formed with upper and lower ears for guiding the matrices during their travel through the machine and for aligning the matrices when presented to the mould. On the casting edge of such matrices, transverse routing notches or recesses are formed in the base of which the matrix character'indentations or formative cavities are punched or otherwise produced. In the case of two-letter matrices, two superposed routing notches are formed separated by a ridge or dividing wall which provides a metal-tight closure relatively to the mould when the matrices are presented thereto for casting. In two-letter matrices of standard form and dimensions, the arrangement of the characters and routing notches is such that the lower edges of the two, notches'are always located at the same distance from the foot of the matrix, and as the body size of the character isincreased, the formative cavity must beextended upwardly. The result of this is that limitations are imposed as regards the selection of the body size, more especially because the dividing wall between the two characters must not be allowed to become so narrow as to impair the metal-tight closure relatively to the mould, or to enhance excessively the risk of damage to the dividing wall itself.

The object of the invention is to obviate thi disadvantage, that is to say,'to permit two-letter matrices to carry characters of a body size larger than has heretofore been practicable without decreasing to a dangerous extent the width of the dividing wall between two characters or'the space available for the engagementof the guiding ledge of the first elevator below the upper ear. For this purpose, according to the invention, the Vertical dimension of the upper ,ear on the casting edge of the matrix is reduced, and the increased space thus made available for the routing notches is utilised by increasing the distance between corresponding parts of the two character indentations. In carrying out the in vention, for example in connection with matrices on which the datum line for the alignment of the inverted characters thereon is at the top of the said characters, the distance between the top of the lower character and the top of the upper character is increased, whereas with matrices on which the said datum line is at the base of the characters, the distance between the base of the lower character and the base of acter, is increased.

The invention is hereinafter more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: I

Figure 1 is a side-elevation "of a two-letter matrix of standard form, and I r Figures 2' and'3-are side elevations of matrices of respectively different constructional forms according to the invention.

The matrix of standard form illustrated in Figure 1 is provided in the usual manner with two lower ears a and a and two-upper ears '6 and b Within the'spac'e separating 1 the ears a and b on the casting edgdfarelocated the routing notches c and cl, with the formative cavities at the bottom thereof, and the ridge or dividing wall e between the two notches. In this standard form of matrix the distance f sepa rating the foot of the lower ear from the. lower edge of the lower notch and --the distance 9 separating the foot of the matrix and the lower edge of the upper notch-which is the top edge of the dividing wall e, are constant'irrespective of the font size. For characters of larger :sizes, the notches and formative cavities-are lengthened upwardly as shown by the dotted lines. Hence, as the body size of the characters-increases, the width of the dividing wall eand likewise'the distance separating the top edge of the upper notch from the foot of the'ear b, decreases During the casting operation the dividing wall 'e of the matrix bears against the mould and isthusin tended to provide a'metal-tight closure between the mould slot and the routing notch 'Which is not in use for the time being, and asthe width of the wall decreasesflthe pressure thereon per unit area increases.- The said wallywhen thin, therefore very quickly wears out, and no longer provides a metal-tight closure, thus causing metal splashes. Extension of the upper formative cavity d also gives rise to difficulties, inasmuch 'as the upper charthere must be sufficient space below the ear 0 for the engagement of the ledge h of the first elevator h and the positioning of the mould cap i as shown in dotted lines. If the said space is so much reduced as to necessitate narrowing the ledge k and the tip of the mould cap 2', it is more difficult to ensure metal-tight closure a these parts during the castingoperation.

In the case of the constructional form'of matrix according to the invention illustrated in Figure 2 the arrangement of the characters is similar to that of thestandard matrix of Figure 1, inasmuch as the characters align at the top, and increase of body size is accompanied by upward extension of the routing notches and formative cavities. In carrying out the invention as shown in Figure 2, the distance 16 separating the lower edges of the two notches c, d, is increased as compared with the corresponding distance 7c of the standard matrix (Figure 1), and the vertical dimension of the upper ear m is reduced as compared with the standard upper ear b. The possibility is thus afforded of using larger body sizes, and at the same time retaining a dividing wall 6 of sufilcient width to secure a metal-tight closure relatively to the mould. Additional space for the upper character is provided by the shortening of the ear m, and thisrshortening does not give rise to any difficulties as regards the functions of the said ear in supporting the matrices in the elevator and guiding them in the distributor. The standard dimension may be adopted for the distance 1, or such dimension may be reduced if desired.

The matrix shown in FigureBis .of the form in which the datum line for the alignment of the inverted characters is at the base of the said characters, in the region of the upper edges of the routing notches. In other respects this constructional form of matrix corresponds with that illustrated in Figure 2, but the datum lines o and p are determined by the bases of the characters without descenders,. and the dimension which is increased according to the invention is that between these two datum lines, denoted by the reference 70 Moreover, the distance J necessarily varies with the body size of the characters as the routing notches and formative cavities are lengthened downwardly to increase the body size.

It is evident that when using a matrix of this description, the machine itself must be correspondingly altered, that is, that the guiding channels in the assembler, in the intermediate channel, in the first elevator, and on the mould must be arranged to suit the increased amount of separation.

According to whether the construction selected is that of Figure 2 or that of Figure 3, it is necessary, when changing the body size, to adjust either the mould cap or the mould body, or the mould body and the mould cap.

It is desirable that the reduction in the vertical dimension of the upper ear should be at least double the amount of the increase in the distance separating corresponding parts of the character indentations, so as to ensure that the available extra space may be as nearly as possible distributed equally between the two characters.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A matrix for a typographical slug casting machine having an upper ear and a lower ear projecting beyond its casting face and two superposed routing notches between said ears with a character indentation at the base of each notch, the vertical dimension of said upper ear being reduced and the increased space thus made available for the routing notches being utilised by increasing the distance between corresponding parts of the two character indentations, and said lower ear being common for alignment purposes to both of said character indentations.

2. A matrix for a typographical slug casting machine having an upper ear and a lower ear projecting beyond its casting face and two superposed routing notches between said ears with a character indentation at the base of each notch, the vertical dimension of said upper ear being reduced and the increased space thus made available for the routing notches being utilised by increasing the distance separating the datum lines of the two character indentations, and said lower car being common for alignment purposes to both of said character indentations.

3. A matrix for a typographical slug casting machine having an upper ear and a lower ear projecting beyond its casting face and two superposed routing notches between said ears with a character indentation at the base of each notch, the vertical dimension of said upper ear being reduced and the increased space thus made available for the routing notches being utilised by increasing the distance separating the datum lines of the two character indentations adjacent the upper edges of the routing notches, and said lower ear being common for alignment purposes to both of said character indentations.

4. A matrix for a typographical slug casting machine having an upper ear and a lower ear projecting beyond its casting face and two superposed routing notches between said ears with a character indentation at the base of each notch, the vertical dimensionof said upper ear being reduced and the increased space thus made available for the routing notches being utilised by increasing the distance separating datum lines of the two character indentations adjacent the lower edges of the routing notches, and said lower ear being common for alignment purposes to both of said character indentations.

5. A matrix for a typographical slug casting machine of standard length and formed in its casting edge with two superposed routing notches with a character indentation at the base of each notch, the datum lines of said two character indentations being located at a greater than standard distance apart, said matrix being provided on its casting edge with two projecting ears only, one a lower aligning ear of standard vertical dimension and common to both character indentations, and the other an upper sup porting ear of sufllciently less than standard vertical dimension to accommodate the greater than standard distance separating the datum lines of said character indentations.

6. A matrix for a typographical slug casting machine of standard length and formed in its casting edgewith two superposed routing notches with a character indentation at the base of each notch and provided on its casting edge with two projecting ears only, one a lower aligning ear of standard vertical dimension and common to both character indentations, and the other an upper supporting ear of less than standard vertical dimension, the datum line of the lower character indentation being located at the standard distance from the lower aligning ear, and the datum line of the upper character indentation being located at greater than standard distance from the lower aligning ear, the less than standard vertical dimension of the upper supporting ear being directly related to the greater than standard distance at which the datum line of the upper character indentation is located from the lower aligning ear.

HERMANN BRANDENBURG. 

